The image of a sitting Vice President strolling down Main Street, U.S.A., with his family is, in theory, the ultimate picture of American Americana. But for Vice President JD Vance, a July 2025 visit to Disneyland was shadowed by a terrifying digital trail of violence that has only now come to light in full, harrowing detail.
This week, federal court proceedings in Orange County shed new light on the case of Marco Antonio Aguayo. The local man stands accused of not only threatening to assassinate the Vice President but also of plotting to turn the “Happiest Place on Earth” into a site of mass casualties. New filings have released the exact, unvarnished words allegedly used by Aguayo—language so violent it prompted an immediate “code red” mobilization of the Secret Service and the FBI.
The Exact Words of the Terror: “I Will Blow Up This Park”
What separates this case from the thousands of “troll” comments flagged by federal monitors every day is the specificity and vitriol of Aguayo’s communications. According to the federal complaint, Aguayo’s threats were not vague expressions of political distaste; they were direct promises of carnage directed at the Vice President of the United States.
Court documents allege that as the Vance family’s trip was publicized, Aguayo sent a series of messages that included the following exact phrasing:
“I am going to kill JD Vance while he is at Disneyland. I will be the one to end him.”
Even more disturbing were the threats directed at the thousands of innocent families visiting the resort that day. Aguayo allegedly wrote:
“I’m going to blow up the park before he even gets to the gate. I will burn it all down. Disneyland will be a graveyard.”
These exact words, which investigators say were sent via various social media platforms and encrypted messaging services, triggered an unprecedented security response. When a threat mentions both a protected official and a mass-casualty target like a theme park, the Secret Service’s protective intelligence division moves from monitoring to active pursuit within seconds.
The July Visit: A Vice President in the Crosshairs
In July 2025, JD Vance was already serving as the Vice President. His visit to the Anaheim park was intended to be a private family excursion—a rare moment of normalcy in the high-pressure environment of the Executive Branch. However, for the Secret Service agents assigned to his detail, there was nothing “normal” about the day.
While the Vance family moved through the park, a massive, invisible net was being cast. Secret Service “Counter-Surveillance” teams and plainclothes officers were stationed at every entry point, while digital forensic teams in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles worked to de-anonymize the user behind the “burn it all” threats.
The fact that the Vice President remained in the park throughout his visit suggests that the Secret Service believed they had a “perimeter of safety.” Still, the subsequent arrest of Aguayo proves how close the threat was to the men and women tasked with the Vice President’s life.
The Arrest: How the Digital Trail Led to Orange County
Marco Antonio Aguayo was apprehended following a high-stakes investigation that utilized the full weight of federal anti-terrorism statutes. Because the threats involved a bomb threat against a public place and the assassination of a Vice President, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force was called in.
Authorities used IP address tracking and subscriber information from social media companies to locate Aguayo at an address in Orange County. During the raid of his residence, investigators reportedly seized electronic devices that contained the identical violent manifestos and exact phrases that had been sent during the July visit.
Aguayo’s defense has attempted to argue that the comments were “venting” or “political hyperbole,” but federal prosecutors are pointing to the exact wording—specifically the promise to “burn it all down” and the “graveyard” reference—as evidence of a “true threat” that falls outside the protections of the First Amendment.
The Charges: Facing a Lifetime of Federal Consequences
As of January 18, 2026, Aguayo is facing multiple federal counts, each carrying the potential for significant prison time:
- Threatening the Vice President of the United States: Under 18 U.S. Code § 871, it is a felony to knowingly and willfully make any threat to take the life of, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm upon the Vice President.
- Threatening to Use Explosives: Making a bomb threat against a public assembly point like Disneyland triggers federal statutes that carry up to 10 years in prison per count.
- Interstate Communications of a Threat: This charge addresses the use of the internet to transmit threats of physical injury.
| Charge | Potential Penalty |
| Threats Against VP | Up to 5 Years per count |
| Bomb Threats | Up to 10 Years per count |
| Interstate Threats | Up to 5 Years per count |
Why This Matters: The New Reality of Public Safety
The Aguayo case is a sobering look at the “new normal” for major tourist destinations. Disneyland, which sees millions of visitors a year, has always been a “soft target” in the eyes of security experts. When you add a sitting Vice President into that environment, the risk level becomes astronomical.
This incident has prompted Disney to bolster its security screenings further. While guests see the bag checks and the metal detectors, the real defense against people like Aguayo is the Intelligence Fusion Center. In this high-tech hub, Disney security, the Anaheim Police, and federal agencies share real-time data on potential threats.
Conclusion: A Close Call for the “Happiest Place on Earth”
The revelation of Marco Antonio Aguayo’s exact words has sent a chill through the Southern California community. To think that while thousands of children were waiting to meet Mickey Mouse, an individual was allegedly plotting to “make the park a graveyard” is a horrific reality of the modern age.
As Vice President, JD Vance continues his term, his security detail remains on high alert. This case serves as a stark reminder that the Secret Service never sleeps—especially when the “happiest place on earth” is in the crosshairs.
